A VietJet newest aircraft. — VNS Photo

TOULOUSE (Biz Hub)— Airbus on Wednesday handed over a new Airbus 320 to VietJet in Toulouse, the first of 100 aircraft ordered by the Vietnamese carrier from the European aviation giant.

The delivery of the new jet marked a major milestone in the development of VietJet, which signed a memorandum of understanding with Airbus in September, 2013, before finalising the deal at the Singapore Air Show in February 2014, the airline said.

After VietJet and Airbus complete all delivery-related documentation, the new Airbus will fly to the Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCM City today.

The new aircraft will also be the first to display the logo of Vietcombank, which is a leading aircraft sale and lease-back agent in Viet Nam.

"The aircraft purchase contract between VietJet and Airbus has paved the way for VietJet to sustainably develop and expand its flight network over the next 10 years at the best possible operational costs, while benefiting from training courses from Airbus," said Deputy Minister of Transport Pham Quy Tieu.

He also expressed his delight that Airbus now produces certain components in Viet Nam, boosting the country's reputation for aviation-related industries. "As always, we welcome investment in the aviation industry, airport infrastructure and other air services," he added.

"This is a momentous occasion for us. Receiving this plane highlights how far we have come in three years of operations. It also marks the beginning of the next phase of our development," Luu Duc Khanh, VietJet managing director, said.

Khanh added that VietJet will continue to enhance and expand its flight network throughout Viet Nam and across the region, contributing to the development of the aviation industry in Viet Nam and the Asia–Pacific region.

Once the aircraft arrives, VietJet will have a fleet of 18 Airbus jets. —VNS